BRITISH MICROMOUNT SOCIETY

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NEWSLETTER NO. 70 – JUNE 2005

www.micromounters.org.uk ____________________________________________________________________________

Chairman Roy Starkey 15 Warwick Avenue,

Fringe Green, Bromsgrove, Worcs., B60 2AH

Secretary Shirley Adrian An Feóran North Connell Argyll PA37 1RD

Membership Secretary Pearl Freeman 12A Allingham Court Haverstock Hill London NW3 2AH

Treasurer Alan Edwards Thistledown, Common Road, Brunstead, Norwich, Norfolk NR12 9ES

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CONTENTS Bill Ford Molly Jeffrey 2 Travels of our English Members Martin Stolworthy et al 2 Images of Cornish Tin Chris Jewson 8 Pyromorphite & Phosgenite at Kynance Cove Davis Clough 8 Trip to Rheinland Eiffel Martin Stolworthy & Dick Belson 9 New Reference Collection Curator Max Wirth 11 Additions to the Reference Collection Max Wirth 12 Chairman’s Notes Roy Starkey 14 Caldbeck Fells Update Mike Leppington 17 News from the Branches 18 Membership News 20

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BILL FORD Molly Jeffrey

As well as being a member of the BMS, Mr Bill Ford was an outstanding member of the Warrington Mineral and Lapidary Society from 1981 to 2004 during which time he contributed his knowledge of various subjects. He turned his hand to many facets of engineering and applied this knowledge to Lapidary. One example was to design and build a pre-forming cabochon machine. He took the Office of President in 1988 and again in 1996, he was the Field Trip Secretary in 1990 and the Syllabus Secretary in 1992. He was always ready to give his support to numerous events. He gave talks and demonstrations at Informal meetings and was always willing to step in to fill a gap whenever they occurred in the programme of meetings. He enjoyed Field Trips both here in England, Scotland and Wales and the trips abroad. He attended meetings regularly, until in the latter years when he had health problems. He was a very well liked member and will be remembered by all members of the Warrington Mineral & Lapidary Society.

TRAVELS OF OUR ENGLISH MEMBERS Martin Stolworthy, Richard Belson, and Bob Snowball

They say that every journey starts with the first step. Well in our case it was a matter of finding where the first step started from. We had arranged to get the National Express Coach from Norwich to Gatwick, but road works in the city of Norwich made this a bit of a lottery. In spite of many telephone calls to the operators, and assurances that the bus would arrive, Bob Snowball, the first to leave for the USA, found himself standing at the bus stop with no sign of a bus. As more people arrived it transpired that the bus was waiting at a stop a few hundred yards away on a different street. It seems that no one had bothered to tell the driver where to go. Richard and I were in the same situation 5 days later, and it still had not improved, because our bus was again waiting at the wrong stop. We finally left Norwich at 11.10pm, arriving in Gatwick at 4.30am. It was good to see a big international airport come alive, and during our 6-hour wait for the US Air flight to Charlotte, we certainly saw plenty of that.

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With the amount of rock that Richard was carrying in both suitcases, we were expecting the worst, but entering the States took just over one and a half hours, and other than waiting in the queue for immigration, it was plain sailing and we strolled into the arrivals hall to be greeted by Bob Snowball and Helen Hauser, and were soon on the way to Hendersonville. The next few days soon fell into a pattern with all of us renewing old acquaintances at the Mineral Museum and some new ones being made. It did not seem that it had been three years since our last visit. We did venture out a couple of times. On the first Sunday we borrowed Larry’s truck and went to Cherokee via Looking Glass Falls, Sliding Rock and the Blue Ridge Parkway, returning by Franklin and US64 over the mountains. Billy Gould said he felt like a day out and offered to take us to Little Pine Garnet Mine, which we went to during that first week. Billy had been many times before but time had clouded his memory and we managed to turn onto the wrong road, but as always it was nice to see the countryside. At first the garnets were very illusive, but Billy told us where to dig and soon Richard started to find some. I went into the mine entrance to be greeted by a crowd of bugs that turned out to be Crickets, as these creatures were the first I had seen, I left them in peace, having taken a few pictures for posterity. There were some signs of previous collectors who had managed to get a flatbed truck up under the cave entrance and collect the garnets from the roof. The most striking memory of that place will be the truck that turned up to empty the Port-a-Potty, from this spot way up in the woods. Apparently it was there for the horse riders. I guess the trees are not good enough for them!!!!! Before leaving for the States, Richard had contacted Earl Verbeek the curator of the Stirling Hill Mining Museum. He was working on a project on Coprolites, and Richard had managed to obtain information on the Coprolite industry in Cambridgeshire in the UK in the later part of the 19th century. We decided to take the information to Earl ourselves and spend a few days in the area around Sterling Hill. With this in mind we rented what turned out to be a brand new Buick saloon with only 680 miles on the clock. Alan Borg had made arrangements to go to New York for a family party, and we asked if he would guide us up to New Jersey. He said yes but asked if he could come with us to visit the mine. The next day was a Sunday and at 3.00am we got Bob out of bed and by 4.30 we were waiting at the arranged meeting place near I26. When Alan arrived we started the journey north, stopping every couple of hours and made reasonable time, keeping to the speed limits, not wanting to fall foul of any of the US driving laws.

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When we got to within 40 miles of Franklin, we ground to a halt at road works, which took us 90 minutes to get through, finally arriving at Earls house around 8.30pm. We arranged to meet him the following day at the Museum at 10.00am. By this time Bob was complaining about the 16 hour journey and we found a place to eat and then retired to the Hotel a few miles outside town. Next morning we arrived at the Museum at the appointed time, and Earl was there ready to lead us on our personal underground tour of the mine. The mine has been very tastefully organised to give a flavour of how it might have been when it was working, with displays at different points, and areas that have piles of fluorescent rocks, which were illuminated with large UV lamps. After the tour we were taken into the Warren Fluorescent Museum, which has cabinet after cabinet of the most wonderful coloured specimens, arranged in several rooms, which lead eventually out and down to the mining museum itself. This building needs more than the short time we had there to take it all in. After going into the main hall, we were confronted by baskets hanging from the roof by chains. This was how the miners stored their work cloths after coming off shift. Then onto the next section where there is a row of glass cabinets containing mineral specimens that are equal to anything in the major museums around the world. This collection is being purchased and donated by the Orick Family, and the cabinets have been designed with mirrored backs with illumination arranged around the edges by high intensity lights. By this time it was close to 5.30 in the afternoon and the Museum had closed and we were the last ones on site. A short drive back to Earl’s house, where he served Gin & Tonic just the way that Bob likes it, we looked at some of Alan’s unknown specimens and were amazed at the knowledge that Earl possessed about fluorescent minerals. Next stop was a restaurant for a meal and then after dark it was back to the mine for a night dig. For anyone interested in fluorescent minerals, this is a must. On arrival in the car park, with the lamps switched on, the whole place turned shades of red, blue and green. This was before we got to the main collecting area. To reach this we had to pass through piles of material that are stockpiled for sale in the Museum shop. This also was a riot of different colours. Once we managed to tear ourselves away from this, we arrived at the first dump. The lamps immediately turned the ground completely green and red, and we visited various parts of the quarry to see the different areas, finally leaving around mid-night. In the parts where the rock has been exposed, the whole face turned red, green and blue and many shades in between. The next day, we went back to the quarry, to dig for microminerals. These were the same rocks we had collected from the previous night, but they looked very different in daylight. Time will tell if we found anything or not.

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After lunch at the local Diner in Franklin, we returned to visit the mineral museum for a second time, which took up the rest of the afternoon. On Wednesday we said goodbye to Alan and Betsy Borg as they departed to the family party in New York. As for us, well we could not leave New Jersey with out visiting the Franklin Mineral Museum, and we spent the next couple of hours browsing the cabinets, and the fluorescent displays. Next part of our trip saw us leaving Franklin on the way to Washington, via the New Jersey Turnpike. We arrived in Washington just as the commuters were going home, that was our first mistake. We spent the next 2 hours moving very slowly around the Washington Beltway. When we finally found the correct road into Alexandria, we could not find the way off to get to the Days Inn. We could see it but not the way to it. After going round the block again, we finally found the way and checked in. That was our second mistake. The room we were given was on the top floor of three, and round the back of the hotel. When we walked in, it was just as the previous occupant had left it. Beds unmade, the bathroom a complete mess. Back we went to the reception to complain, and were given another room on the ground floor, but this time, the last occupants had been smokers and the place stunk. Just to add to the fun Bob used the bathroom, pulled the chain, and watched helplessly as the water flowed gently over the rim, flooding the floor. A quick look outside, found a man who appeared to be working. He spoke very little English, but we managed to get him to come and check out the mess. He vanished, to return a few minutes later with a water vacuum cleaner and a plunger. This did the trick, and we retired to a nearby restaurant, somewhat late, but to a very enjoyable meal. Our plan for the following day was to get the shuttle bus from the hotel to the Metro, which took us to The Mall in Washington. We then spent the next 7 hours viewing the delights of the Smithsonian Institute’s, Mineral, Fossil and Meteorites galleries. These just have to be seen, because a few words cannot describe the wonderful displays that await the public on entering the first room. Specimen after specimen, everyone world class, all in the most wonderfully lighted cases. After what seemed a very short time, but was in fact after 5.00pm we returned to the Metro and travelled back to visit the Arlington Cemetery. This again is a must for anyone visiting Washington. It is very humbling to see, those row after row of white crosses, knowing that each one represents a US citizen who had given his or her life for their country. With the urgency of the knowledge that the last shuttle left the Metro station at 8.30pm, we returned to the station and caught the train back to the shuttle, and back to the hotel for a well earned sleep. Next day we started out on the journey back, intending to visit the Luray Caverns, at Shenandoah. We found our way eventually out onto highway 211 and a couple of hours saw us waiting in the queue to go into the Caverns.

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These are the most wonderful cave systems that we had ever seen, with chamber after chamber of the most exquisite formations of Stalactites and Stalagmites. They even have an Organ in the middle of the system which is played by keys hitting the formations at various places around the caves. At around 12.30 we began the long trek back to Etowah, finally arriving at Larry’s place sometime after 9.30pm. The next few days fell into the same pattern as those before we went away. Shifts at the Museum, a trip shopping with Helen and circular tour of Georgia and North Carolina, to collect staurolite from Hackney Farm, near Blue Ridge with Landen Gaily We followed the directions of Tim Barton to the letter but still managed to miss the turn off to the site. Just before we reached it there was a short sharp rainstorm which left the air very humid. Then the sun came out, which made collecting very uncomfortable. When we finally got there, to our amazement there was a very deep hole, and at the bottom was a lady covered in mud, and sitting in a chair above was her husband with an umbrella. He had a large bucket in which the lady was throwing the staurolites for him to wash. Because of the time it had taken to get there, we only had a couple of hours to collect before it was time to return. This time we went the direct route, which still took 4 hours to complete. This then led to the Thursday before the Show and we presented ourselves at the hall to set up the tables. The well oiled operation was in full swing when we got there and the hall was soon ready for the first of the dealers to arrive. Larry had given us the day off Friday as we were giving a lecture at the show, and when we got there the place was buzzing. With only 9 or 10 dealers, there was plenty of space for them to put on excellent displays, and every table was heaving with people looking and buying the goods. Club members put on a display of 12 wonderful showcases, each with a different theme, which made a good focal point for the show. Our talk seemed to go down well with over 12 hardy souls sticking it out till the end. Just after it finished, the phone rang and it was Larry calling for reinforcements. Martin caught the bus back to the Museum and Bob followed a little later. We spent the next few hours cracking geodes until 8.00pmpm on the street. The Saturday was given over to the Micromount Symposium and we three setup the microscopes at one end of the hall, and proceeded to indoctrinate some new collectors to the world of microminerals. A quick look around the hall showed that there were 45 people, with 28 microscopes. Some of who had travelled from the States adjacent to North Carolina, and us three from the UK.

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The tables down the middle were full of freebees, and it was not long before the piles started to reduce. All around the room were small groups of collectors showing their latest or best finds. During the day several of the members of the main club called in during breaks in the shifts at the show or at the Museum. It was especially good to see new young members like Bob Kensinger, taking such an interest in micro minerals. About 5.00pm most had started to drift away, and after lending a hand with the clear-up we three went back to the Museum to do the late shift till closing time at 8.00pm. Sunday was another busy day at the Museum. At one point we were cracking geodes so fast, my hands started to get sore. The machine, that was recording the numbers of people entering the Museum, was doing so much that at one point it stopped working. Even as it got dark, Main Street was so full of people that we were still cracking geodes both upstairs and in the Museum. Monday was Labour Day, and the tent had been moved back to the Sidewalk, to keep the street clear for the big parade. We manned the stall upstairs, until around midday, when Larry found someone to replace us. As things were starting to quieten down he let us make another visit to the Mineral Show, where we stayed until we had seen all the dealers away and got the tables broken down and back in the trailer. Towards the end of the day, the remnants of Hurricane Ivan struck, and by the time we had finished, the rain and wind hit and we got very wet. Next day was Tuesday and our last day before retuning to the UK. Overnight the rain had worsened, and by the time we got our packing done, the roads were a complete mess with floods everywhere, and we had a very interesting journey into Hendersonville. The main problem was keeping the Ram Charger on the road, and more than once we wondered off the pavement and onto the verge. Martin had no coat so Bob had the brilliant idea of cutting three holes into a large rubbish sack. Unfortunately all the cameras were unavailable so there is no picture of this rare event!!!! Our flight home was at 8.30pm from Charlotte. Helen was taking us to the airport and then going on to see her Grand-daughter. After dropping us off, we spent the next 5 hours watching planes come and go, and reflecting on our trip. The flight home was uneventful but on arrival at Gatwick the fun started. We were taken to one of the satellite stands to disembark from the plane, and discovered that the little metro train to carry us to the main terminal was broken, and we were to be bussed instead. This meant that on arrival there we had six flights of stairs to go down, and the same number to climb in the terminal. Then what seemed like a three mile hike to baggage reclaim. Once there we discovered that the US security had broken the locks off all our cases, to check the contents. They very kindly put the lock along with a nice little note telling us that they had been into the case and had the right to do so. All this messing around meant that we got to the coach station just in time to see our bus leaving the terminal. This gave us another two hours to sit around and contemplate the 5 hours back to Norwich.

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When we finally got there we performed our last magic trick by getting us three, nine suitcases, duty free gin and Bob’s son Richard back into his car for the last leg back to Dicks house. Our travels had now taken us on a full round circle trip which lasted 4 weeks and several thousand miles by road and air. All of which, we have tried to give a flavour of in this article. What can we say? Roll on next time!!!!!!!!!

IMAGES OF CORNISH TIN BY A STOYEL & P WILLIAMS. Chris Jewson

If anyone has a copy of this book and feels that they would like names to go with the pictures of the miners and other Crofty folk featured, please contact Chris Jewson. With the help of ex-Crofty men, he has compiled a list of almost all the people featured together with nicknames and job titles. This list adds to the already interesting 'snapshot ' of the latter days of production at Cornwall's last working tin mine and is free. Images of Cornish Tin is published by Landmark Publishing, Ashbourne, Derbys.

AN OCCURRENCE OF PYROMORPHITE AND PHOSGENITE: KYNANCE COVE, GODREVY (NEAR GWITHIAN, HAYLE), CORNWALL

[O.S. Grid Reference: SW 586 432] David Clough

Kynance Cove is located approximately one kilometre north of Gwithian village and 750 metres east of Godrevy Point. At the base of the steep cliff slope, on a promontory towards the centre of the cove, is the portal of an adit level. This has been driven in a south-westerly direction for approximately 75 metres. A few metres inside the entrance a shaft drops into the sea cave below. It appears that there are no other related workings. Recent exploration of the level revealed a quartz lode with sporadic lead – zinc mineralisation in the form of massive galena and sphalerite. The most notable occurrence, from an area towards the middle of the level, is pyromorphite as coverings of colourless to light apple green acicular crystals to approximately 0.5 millimetre in cavities (occasionally cube shaped voids, presumably resulting from dissolution of the previous mineral content) and on joints in the quartz vein material. Superior groups and sprays of darker green slender prismatic crystals of pyromorphite to a similar size were also found, rarely, in the lode wall/gossan material. Minor blue/green staining

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can be observed close to the edge of the shaft, and suspected cumengite has been found, rarely, in the form of drusy crusts of minute pale blue crystals. In addition, in the sea cave below and also where the vein is exposed on the foreshore (subject to the shifting of pebbles and boulders by the sea), clear colourless and opaque white to cream coloured short prismatic and thin tabular crystals of phosgenite to approximately 0.7 millimetre have been found in association with massive galena and colourless to white slender prismatic and acicular crystals of cerussite to approximately 1 millimetre. Galena has also been found, rarely, as rough cube-octahedral crystals to approximately 4 millimetres. Pyromorphite was also found in an isolated boulder at the base of the cliff slope, apparently originating from a cliff fall. NB. All mineral species referred to have been visually identified only. Further to initial research, there appears to be no reference to the mine in readily available published literature about the mines of Cornwall, e.g. H.G. Dines “Metalliferous Mining Region of South-West England” and A.K. Hamilton Jenkin’s “Mines & Miners of Cornwall”. However, a recent study of documents held at the Cornwall Centre in Redruth relating to apparently unpublished research carried out by the latter author, including copies of letters received from Charles Thomas in 1965 & 1966, indicates that the mine may be Wheal Providence, a sett granted by the Tehidy Estate circa 1749. Further research is required to confirm the identity of the mine but unfortunately the exact whereabouts of the estate maps, once held by Tehidy Minerals, is presently uncertain.

TRIP TO RHEINLAND EIFEL. OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2004 Martin Stolworthy and Dick Belson.

This trip to the Eifel was at the invitation of Richard De Nul and Erik his son in celebration of Erik’s 17th birthday. His wish was to go the Eifel region in Germany to collect volcanic minerals. Dick left his home address in Norwich 6.45am on Friday 29th of October in the faithful Toyota Landcruiser, affectionately known as ‘Betsey’, picking Martin up as arranged. Martin thereafter was the driver most of the time both in the UK and on the continent. We made our way without incident down the A140, A14, A12, turning off into Dedham village and vale (Constable country) through the back roads where we got lost more than once. But, we made it safely through to Harwich International Passenger Terminal with time to spare for coffee etc, before boarding the Stena Catamaran Ferry for the Hook of Holland. The weather was overcast with a steady strong breeze blowing, which made choppy seas, but the ‘Cat’ made light going of it all, travelling at some 40 knots (75 kph) arriving at the ‘Hook’ at 3.30pm. We disembarked, Martin again was the driver, onto the right hand side - the wrong(?) side - of the road. All went well with the directions and we arrived at our destination in Schoten an outskirt of Antwerp at 5.30pm. We went out for the evening to a restaurant called ‘The Stone’. The menu consists of a large cold bar of uncooked meats, fish, shellfish, and even Frogs Legs, plus other dishes of salad, lettuce pickles and coleslaws. Then really hot flat stones were placed on the tables and we chose which meats etc. we would like plus of course the side salads, and proceeded to cook the meats on the stones. You can go back as many times as you like to choose more food. As the stones go cold

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they are replaced with fresh ones, so the meats do not take long to cook. All in all, a very good evening, (Dick had frogs legs!!!). Saturday 30th October. Everyone was up early; we packed all collecting gear, clothes etc into ‘Betsey’, and left Antwerp on the motorway to Liege and then to Prum, crossing into Germany along the way. From there we passed through Gerolstein and finally to Lammersdorf, to the working quarry of Graulei on the western side of the Eifel, here hopefully to collect amphibole, apatite, sandine, olivine, hematite, magnetite, pyroclore, and other minerals. The whole area is volcanic, although now stable, and all the minerals are found in or next to the old lava flows. This was a wonderful quarry, not as deep as many of our English ones, but with many volcanic layers, and even a volcanic vent. After about 2/3 hours we made our way to the beautiful disused Arensberg Quarry, at Zilsdorf. Overgrown with beech trees, the only way in was means of tunnel through volcanic rock. We traversed around the quarry and scaled the far wall to look for calcite, thompsonite and augite without much success, but the scenery was well worth the visit. Night was approaching and, as yet, we had nowhere to stay. We finished up in a small town called Mendig. Fortunately Richard speaks fluent German and we found a small Pub serving meals, as well as a lady who ran a B&B (Pension). It was her daughter who ran a small but very well furnished flat for four persons, completely self contained, costing 65� per night including continental breakfast. After parking at the flat and unloading we then went back to the pub for a very good meal complete with good Mosel wines. Sunday 31st October. Once again we were up early to meet Dutch Club GEA ZUID LIMBERG on Autobahn E31, at the rest area of Brohthil, between Bonn and Koblenz. After coffee and a chat we drove to Wingertsburg Quarry near Mendig. This quarry is in an old extinct volcano as are all the quarries in the Eifel. Very good strata in situ, consisting mainly of basalt and pumice with many vughs. Calcite, aragonite, pyroxene, hauyn, trydymite, and augite were found with some not yet identified minerals. We then proceeded to In Dem Dellen Quarry, again near to Mendig, a huge expanse of quarried area - very good strata of loose dust and pumice, with many volcanic bombs. Having inspected the whole site by vehicle and with advice from the Dutch members of the party we proceeded to collect in the very dusty part of the quarry for pumice and bombs with the illusive blue mineral hauyn. Everyone found some, but not all was nicely crystalline. After a quick lunch we drove to Wannakopfe Quarry, again volcanic. We went to a small area at the southern end of the quarry, where minerals were abundant. Most of them were found on a very steep sloping quarry face, and many people were in holes, and also sliding about on the quarry face. Every rock that was picked up was full of minerals mostly pyroxenes, but also hematite, topaz, olivine, biotite mica, and some unknowns. We spent about two hours at this site, collecting many bags of rock, then back to the B&B and from there to the pub for another very good meal. Monday 1st November. A very misty morning and we were back on our own again, the Dutch lot were only there for the day. We made our way to Nickenich, again near to Mendig. At this quarry, there was heavy wire fencing and signs ‘No entry’. It just happened that there was a nature trail around the perimeter of the quarry in woodland, so we took a ‘hike’ with cameras in hand. In the pinewoods we found

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many different species of fungi growing under the trees. So, out came the cameras and a great many photographs were taken. We were also able to look over the back wall of the quarry, very striking layers of volcanic dust, pumice etc, more photographs taken !!!. After eating our lunch a council of war as what to do next was held; we decided to return to In Dem Dellen, to where we knew good minerals could be found. We spent a good three hours at the site and, on finding some volcanic spoil with good rocks in it, spent time fossicking around and finding some more unusual minerals. Then it was back to our flat for a quick wash and brush up as the volcanic dust tends to get everywhere. We then returned to our local hostelry where mine host and his chef treated us to a full German meal, with Mosel wines and after dinner Glenfiddich. Tuesday 2nd November. We left early after breakfast, having said goodbye to our hosts, and set off for Emmelburg Quarry at Udersdorf. This is a very old disused quarry, and we had someway to walk after making our way through the entrance. We passed through huge walls of volcanic strata full of olivine and pyroxenes. We collected at three sites, the first was an outcrop just passed the high quarry walls where we found pyroxenes and hematite in the walls and also on boulders that lay on the quarry floor. The second site was again a large outcrop but this time full of layers of volcanic ‘bombs’. Some were very small and others up to 25mm across. Some were hollow and others were solid but there was an abundance of hematite, calcite, and some pseudobrookite. We collected several bags of bombs. The third site was very hard grey rock, with cavities, in which there were dark green/black crystals, believed to be olivine but not identified, and also biotite mica. This quarry needs some more visits to find all the minerals here as it is a very large site with much potential. We left at 3.30pm having an uneventful trip home - Betsey was puffing a bit with all the weight. A very good meal was cooked by Richard’s wife Lia. Afterwards it was very late and so to bed. Wednesday 3rd November. Up early and into Schoten for shopping, especially for Belgian Chocolates. Having made our purchases, we boarded Betsey and set out for the ‘Hook, arriving in good time to watch the ‘Cat’ as it came in to dock. A very good smooth crossing and a good drive home arriving at about 9.00pm. All in all it had been a very good trip with many minerals to view in weeks, months, even years to come.

NEW REFERENCE COLLECTION CURATOR Max Wirth

Those of you who are interested in the BMS collection will be pleased to hear that we have now found a new curator who is actually younger than me. From about mid-July the curator will be Maria Justamond who has kindly volunteered to take over this task. From now on, please send any contributions to her. Max would like to thank all contributors for keeping him entertained for the past twenty years.

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ADDITIONS TO THE BMS REFERENCE COLLECTION Max Wirth

2396 SPHALERITE Cilfynydd Abercynon South Wales Evans D. 2397 WAVELLITE Pwll Du Bay South Wales Evans D. 2398 CACOXENITE Pwll Du Bay South Wales Evans D. 2399 CALCITE Ton Mawr Pentyrch South Wales Evans D. 2400 STRONTIANITE Penarth Beach South Wales Evans D. 2401 SIDERITE Nant Helen O.C.site South Wales Evans D. 2402 CALCITE Nant Helen O.C.site South Wales Evans D. 2403 SIEGENITE Nant Helen O.C.site South Wales Evans D. 2404 MILLERITE Nant Helen O.C.site South Wales Evans D. 2405 HASTINGSITE Haytor Iron Mine Devon Hay P. 2406 WOLLASTONITE Meldon rail Quarry Devon Hay P. 2407 RUTILE Lanterdan Quarry Cornwall Hall D. 2408 CACOXENITE Gunheath Pit Cornwall Hall D. 2409 MENDIPITE Merehead Quarry Somerset Hall D. 2410 PYRITE Parys Mountain, Anglesey Wales Hall D. 2411 ARTHURITE Hingston Down Cornwall Hall D. 2412 MALACHITE Greystones Quarry Cornwall Hall D. 2413 PYROMORPHITE Cwmystwyth Mine Wales Hall D. 2414 HEMIMORPHITE Cwmystwyth Mine Wales Hall D. 2415 CARBONAT-F-

APATIT Gunnislake Clitters Cornwall Hall D.

2416 WAVELLITE + Gunheath Pit Cornwall Hall D. 2417 EPIDOTE Sligachan Quarry Skye Scotland Hall D. 2418 ANGLESITE Greystones Quarry Cornwall Hall D. 2419 CHILDRENITE Prince of Wales Cornwall Hall D. 2420 PYROMORPHITE Bwlch Glas Mine Wales Hall D. 2421 CYANOTRICHITE Hingston Down Cornwall Hall D. 2422 SCORODITE Wheal Unity Cornwall Hall D. 2423 GOETHITE Washington Sand Pit Sussex Hall D. 2424 HEMATITE Bampfylde Mine Devon Hall D. 2425 HEMIMORPHITE Eaglebrook Mine Wales Hall D. 2426 CALCITE Talisker Bay Skye Scotland Hall D. NOTES 2396. Delightful, clear orange sphalerite from near Abercynon in South Wales

2397 Attractive wavellite sprays found in chert pebbles on a storm beach at Pwll Du Bay

2398 Very tiny, yellow pimples of cacoxenite with larger white spherules of strengite and a wavellite spray. Found on the storm beach at Pwl Du Bay.

2399 Scalenohedral calcite, tinged brown by goethite inclusions. This came from the Ton Mawr quarry.

2400 Very clean , white strontianite sprays found in limestone blocks on Penarth beach

2401 Typical brown siderite crystals found on bench No.4 (now backfilled) of an old colliery site. The site manager did not wish a precise location to be mentioned. Note a broken crystal showing colourless interior.

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2402 Standard calcite from the same site as above.

2403 The rather rare siegenite frequently found around old coal mines. Here ankerite, chalcopyrite and minor millerite are associated.

2404 A small amount of millerite needles from the same site mentioned above.

2405 The green, fibrous amphibole is hastingsite in magnetite bearing rock.

2406 There are three wollastonite types, IT, 7M … etc. This is not specified here.

2407 A duplicate rutile from Lanterdan, with a slightly different habit.

2408 Duplicate cacoxenite from Gunheath Pit, different but not very nice.

2409 Good, characteristic mendipite from Merehead quarry.

2410 Common pyrite from Parys Mountain, Anglesey, which seems to have a different grid reference than Pant-y-Gaseg

2411 A very good specimen of the rare arthurite from Hingston Down. Note that the grid reference is slightly different from the Hingston Down Consols

2412 A better crystallised duplicate malachite from Greystones quarry.

2413 Green pyromorphite from Cwmystwyth mine.

2414 Slightly different duplicate of hemimorphite from Cwystwyth mine

2415 A fine, brown specimen of carbonate fluoro apatite (also known as francolite) from Gunnislake Clitters.

2416 Very nice, bladed wavellite on turquoise. The main interest though is the yellow, powdery mineral, believed to be 'varlamoffite', not a recognised mineral but a Sn, Fe oxide, derived from cassiterite.

2417 Very nice, bladed wavellite on turquoise. The main interest though is the yellow, powdery mineral, believed to be 'varlamoffite', not a recognised mineral but a Sn, Fe oxide, derived from cassiterite.

2418 A fourth specimen of anglesite from Greystones quarry. It comes in many habits!

2419 Good, brown childrenite crystals from the Prince of Wales quarry.

2420 A green, 'feathered' specimen of pyromorphite from Bwlch Glas mine.

2421 A poor specimen duplicating the existing cyanotrichite from Hingston Down.

2422 Interesting sheaves of colourless scorodite from Wheal Unity.

2423 Bubbly, black goethite crust from Washington Sand pit in Sussex.

2424 Brilliant hematite cavity from Bampfylde mine.

2425 Duplicate hemimorphite with a coarser habit, from Eaglebrook mine.

2426 A deep yellow calcite, typical for Talisker Bay. It fluoresces bright cream. There are just a few mesolite fibres.

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CHAIRMAN’S NOTES Roy Starkey

Missed it! Fans of Scottish mineralogy (and NW based members!) will be interested to know that a copy of Heddle was sold by Bonhams at a recent auction sale held on 11 May 2005

Lot No: 201 HEDDLE (M. Forster) The Mineralogy of Scotland, two volumes, 110 plates, illustrations in text, Warrington Municipal Library bookplate, later green library cloth. library numbers on backstrips, 8vo Edinburgh 1901 and 37 other ex-library volumes. Sold not subject to return. (39) Estimate: £100 to 150 Sold for £210 plus Premium and tax You can find out more details of the sale at:- http://www.butterfields.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=USA&screen=lotdetails&iSaleItemNo=2507647&iSaleNo=11763&sServer=http://images1.bonhams.com/&sPath=2005-05/09/4193857-47-1.JPG

Czech This Out During a recent visit to the lovely city of Prague in the Czech Republic I was able to spend an hour having a fairly rapid look around the mineralogical/petrological exhibit in the National Museum. Unfortunately I somehow managed to lose my notebook after leaving the museum so the following account is less detailed on specific facts than I would have liked. The National Museum is situated at the head of Wenceslas Square (not so much of a square as a broad street in fact). It houses, amongst other things, a tremendous mineralogical collection. Almost a time-warp, the displays have changed little since originally laid out by Karel Vrba back in 1892. The exhibition is divided into five galleries, the largest of which (Room 17) is the systematic exhibition of minerals according to the Strunz System.

You can find more details at: www.nm.cz/english. The museum building itself is worth seeing in its own right – as an example of architectural splendour (see left) – particularly the main stairway which leads from the entrance foyer up to the first floor where the mineralogy galleries are situated. The five rooms (numbered 13 – 17) contain more than 10,000 specimens of rocks and minerals, cut gemstones, meteorites and tektites. Much of the display has not changed since it was set out between 1891 and 1909, and oh, joy of joys, not a single computer screen or “interactive” exhibit in sight, just real geological specimens! In the first room, number 17, (see top of next page) the displays feature rocks and minerals from worldwide localities, arranged systematically by chemical composition. There are many really good specimens

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scattered throughout these cases (each case houses five shelves, each with about 12 specimens on each shelf, typically 5cm x 8cm or so, seated on a black plinth with gold lettering giving the mineral name and locality details). The stars of the show for me were probably the silver sulphides, hidden from view under heavy blue covers bearing the text “View and cover up” (see below) – fabulous specimens of pyrarygyrite and proustite. Along the side of the gallery several individual cases feature large single specimens of halite, amethyst, calcite,

haematite and millerite. At the far end of the gallery is an original collection of cut gems and precious stones dating from 1893, together with a case featuring glass models of the world’s largest diamonds.

There are far too many specimens on display to do justice here, but a small selection of British minerals which caught my eye include – strontianite and harmotome from Strontian; pyromorphite from Wheal Alfred; and witherite from Hexham. A particularly striking exhibit is a selection of single sulphide crystals mounted on pedestals (like large micromounts) (see below left)

In the corner room, number 16 is a world renowned collection of meteorites and tektites, with the emphasis being on Czech tektites – vltaviny (moldavites) (see above right) with their characteristic bottle green glassy colour, together with a systematic collection of rocks. A relatively new, small gallery (room number 15) has, since 1991 housed a modern exhibit of precious stones. Displayed here are cut gems as well as minerals in their natural “raw” form. The displays include diamond, rubies, sapphires, topaz, aquamarine, emerald, kunzite and tourmaline.

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These are very nice examples of the various species, but unfortunately photography is not permitted in this room for security reasons. The final two rooms, (numbers 14 and 13) are dedicated to Czech minerals. In the first room (no.14) there are specimens from historical mineral deposits. These include the renowned silver deposits at Kutnahora, Jachymov and Pribram – with a good range of specimens from each displayed, together with vein sections, ore textures and host rock types. Here too is found the largest known specimen of Czech gold – an electrum sheet measuring about 7.5cm x 4cm, found at Krepice near Vodany (southern Bohemia) in 1927, and a crystallized gold from near Prague weighing 18g and found in 1840. Room 13 houses examples of the Czech non-ore minerals, including zeolites, precious and semi-precious stones – including agates, olivine and garnets from northern Bohemia. In the centre of the room is a three dimensional geological relief map of the Czech Republic. Overall I thought this was a particularly enjoyable museum display and with much to offer the collector. In some ways it is reminiscent of the Ludlam Collection which used to be housed on the top floor of the Geological Museum in London, and which has now been subsumed into “Earth Lab”, as most of the specimens are of a size and quality that a collector might have hoped to acquire, had he been around at the right time in the right place…. as is so often the case! If you are ever in Prague, or can find a reason to go, don’t miss a trip to the National Museum – but allow a couple of hours, I really didn’t have long enough to do it justice. New Booklet on Cairngorm Minerals Members may be interested to know that a new booklet has been published by the Grantown Museum and Heritage Trust. Written by local collector, and Regional Councillor Basil Dunlop, this booklet provides a brief introduction to “Cairngorm Stones”, the geology of the area and crystal formation, a review of historical accounts of occurrences and collectors, and is well illustrated throughout with colour photos. At £4 including postage, these 36 pages represent remarkable value for money. You can get a copy of “Cairngorm Stones – the Natural and Cultural History of Cairngorm Gemstones” from Grantown Museum, Burnfield Avenue, Grantown on Spey, Morayshire, PH26 3HH. Email: gosmuseum@btconnect.com Web address: www.grantownmuseum.co.uk Earth Heritage Issue 23 The latest issue of Earth Heritage features articles on Wales’ Tundra Past, Planning for Geoconservation, Scotland’s first geopark – The North west Highlands, together with a review of recent publications. The rear cover features a piece on The National trust for Scotland’s first National Nature Reserve leaflet for Staffa. You can download a PDF version from www.nnr-scotland.org.uk Key articles from this and earlier issues of Earth Heritage can be accessed at www.seaburysalmon.com/earth.html If you would like to receive future issues of Earth Heritage, please contact David Evans, English nature, Northminster House, Peterborough, PE1 1UA. (david.evans@english-nature.org.uk). Subscription is free.

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Digital Photography Update Members who attended the Symposium last September and learned about the benefits of combining a number of images to create the effect of increased depth of field using the CombineZ software package, may be interested to know that a new updated version is available from:- http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZ4Docs/combinez_4.htm New Publication - Geology of Northern Ireland - our natural foundation This New Regional Geology Guide to Northern Ireland provides a comprehensive account of the geology of the region. Northern Ireland is a small area of the Earth's surface, but contains a huge variety of rock types, representing many different geological ages which are reflected in the sheer variety of landscape. Landscape reflects the interaction of rock type and geological processes which give rise to the environmental niches supporting the varied flora and fauna to be found in Northern Ireland. This book presents detailed, comprehensive information in a user-friendly way; sites of national or international significance are described and illustrated through photographs and large-scale maps. Published by the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland. Mitchell W I. ISBN 0852724543. £10

CALDBECK FELLS UPDATE Mike Leppington

It was expected that the new permit system proposed by the LDNPA would have been in operation by now. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond the Authority’s control, the permit system has fallen behind schedule. At the meeting held at Blencathra in November 2004 it was proposed that there would be three zones, green, amber and red. Areas designated as “Green” are those considered to be of low sensitivity from both a mineralogical and archaeological point of view. Although a permit would be required this could be obtained at any time during the year and would last for one year from date of issue. No research justification would be required. The “Amber” zone would include sites of mineralogical or archaeological significance where some controlled collecting may be permitted. Permits would only be issued for those applications that had a clear research benefit. This would be similar to the existing permit system. The “Red” zone comprises a small number of sites of sufficient mineralogical or archaeological sensitivity that a total restriction on collecting is necessary in order to protect the resource. Although some sites have still to be classified I believe the following sites fall into the “Green” category. Burdell Gill, the Deer Hills, Driggith mine, Potts Gill mine and Sandbed mine. The LDNPA expect to be ready in early June to be able to issue permits for the “Green” zone. Anyone who is interested in applying for a permit should write to Graham Standring, Ranger

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(North), Lake District National Park Authority, Blencathra Centre, Threlkeld, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4SG. Roy Starkey adds: Trevor Bridges and I will do our best to assist with queries as they arise, but we suggest that this year it will ease the situation if members defer requests to undertake work in the Dale Beck Valley (basically Roughtongill down to Hay Gill), and instead submit applications for permits in respect of the “Green zone”. As soon as we have more information we will publicise it as widely as possible.

NEWS FROM THE BRANCHES North West Group Following a meeting in May when not very members attended - though a number of apologies were received - it has been suggested that we try again and hold a meeting on the Saturday 9th July in Blackrod at the home of Harry and Christine Critchley, anytime from 2pm onwards. It has further been suggested that we ask those attending to bring along:- 1. surplus minerals from recent collecting - for exchange 2. any queries about minerals collected - for discussion, not necessarily identification. 3. any interesting fluorescent minerals - micro or otherwise. If you can attend please let Harry know by e-mail or telephone, both of which are in the BMS address booklet. If you need directions please ask - we are easy to find from junction 6 of the M61. Refreshments will be served during the afternoon courtesy of Chris.' Scottish Group – A Meeting of the Clans - Phil Taylor Following the tremendous success of the inaugural Scottish BMS members’ meeting held in Edinburgh in September 2003 (Newsletter No. 65), Shirley Adrian kindly arranged a second meeting for Saturday 30th April. This year the venue was an annex building of the Hunterian Museum, just a stone’s throw from Glasgow city centre. Unfortunately the turnout was pretty poor, with just myself, Shirley and a friend of mine, Craig Lindsay, attending. Our host for the day was Dr. John Faithfull, whom many of you will remember from the symposium during the period he was based in Leicester. John met us on arrival at 10:30 whereupon we made our way to the 4th floor and busied ourselves setting out microscopes, lighting and elevenses. Although we were only four in number there was more than enough news to catch up on, both social and mineralogical. Throughout the day we had the pleasure of examining the late Kemp Meikle’s Scottish micro collection, now bequeathed to the Hunterian. There was far too much material for any individual to look at in a day, so I began with the Leadhills-Wanlockhead suite, amongst which was a

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wonderful stacked mass of leadhillite crystals and a beautiful euhedral veszelyite from the Straitstep Vein. Kemp was an authority on minerals from Loanhead Quarry (Beith) and specimens included lovely representations of garnet, titanite, wire silver (like mini Kongsberg classics), thomsonite sprays and a magnificent twinned calcite crystal (originally found by Gordon Todd). Another locality that caught my eye was the Alva silver mine (Clackmannanshire), from which Kemp had beautiful crystallised silver in layered parallel dendrites, overgrown in part by the cobalt iron arsenide, safflorite. As both Craig and I live in Aberdeen we were keen to home in on more local localities. From Aberdeenshire we found manganite from Laverock Braes mine, fluorite, galena and ruby sphalerite from the Corrybeg mine at Abergairn and many of the unusual minerals from the zinnwaldite granite at Gairnshiel, including cassiterite, wulfenite, scheelite and niobium wolframite. Of equal importance to the fine minerals was a very fine lunch of sandwiches, cheeses, chutneys, fruit, scrummy biscuits and shortbread – oh, and beer, all provided by Shirley. The advantage of only four being present was that we got to take home parcels of the leftovers for our teas. Nice one Shirley!

John was kept busy the whole time ferrying wonderful specimens back and forth from the museum’s stored collection. He was very trusting as we were allowed to handle all the specimens, and what specimens they were! Amongst the many I will always remember a lovely bertrandite from the Pass of Ballater (Aberdeenshire); a mouth watering group of large lustrous phosgenite crystals from Lossiemouth and the sublime 4 cm high sapphire crystal from Carishader, Outer Hebrides (as featured on page 103 of Alec Livingstone’s Minerals of Scotland). Before wrapping-up our session at around 16:00, we made an interesting visit to a downstairs lab where John identified one of my unknown Tsumeb minerals as barite (quite rare for Tsumeb) by means of a petrological microscope and a suitably chosen immersion fluid. Our sincere thanks go to John for not only giving his time and the museum’s facilities, but for his infectious enthusiasm and providing us with an utterly stimulating day. We would also like to thank Shirley for organising yet another superb Scottish event. If a third meeting is arranged (and I suspect it will), do try and make it – you will return home with your mineralogical batteries fully charged!

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MEMBERSHIP NEWS

PLEASE TAKE NOTE AND AMEND YOUR RECORDS ACCORDINGLY: Changes of address, telephone or e-mail details:

Member New or corrected details. Shirley Adrian shirleyadrian@tesco.net Peter Smith treep2@ntlworld.com Martin Stolworthy Home View, 1 Richmond Place, Lyng, Norwich, Norfolk, NR9 5RF

01603 872420 Ike Wilson ike.wilson@btinternet.com

NEWSLETTER EDITOR Mike Dannatt

The Laurels, Garden Court, Perry Street, Chard, Somerset, TA20 2QX Tel: 01460 220624

E-mail: mikedannatt@onetel.com

The deadline for articles for Newsletter 71 will be 1st October 2005. Please let me have contributions as soon as possible. Articles or reports on PC disc are welcome - preferably saved in RTF - rich text format. Articles sent by E-mail can either be “attached” or be part of the body of the E-mail message. Clearly printed documents are acceptable and can be scanned and read into the PC. Hand-written items should be as clear as possible, please, paying particular attention to the spelling of site and mineral names.